More on why Syracuse lacrosse captain Daniello's move from X is so hard to defend

Dick Blume/The Post StandardSyracuse lacrosse attackman Chris Daniello looks for room to shoot during SU's 10-7 victory at Johns Hopkins earlier this season.
Syracuse, NY -- I wrote a story about Syracuse lacrosse captain Chris Daniello for today's Post-Standard. In the accompanying video, Chris talked about his trademark move from 'X' in which he dodges hard from behind the goal, comes around the crease to the goalie's left, turns and whips a hard, underhand shot into the cage.

Newspaper space is limited, but cyberspace is not. Here is why SU coach John Desko, a former close defender for the Orange, believes the innocent-looking move is so hard to defend:

"Coaches when they coach defensemen are telling them, similar to basketball or other sports, to get on their (opponent's) hips. You can move them out on their hips, but if you push their shoulders they aren’t going anywhere. So for him (Daniello) to be this high (5-foot-7), and he’s got a 6-4 defenseman who’s trying to get on his hips, it’s difficult. You end up on his shoulders, and he can duck under or get you across the top. And he changes the plane of his shot. Most players when they come around, the goalie is going to adjust to the head of the stick. He’ll change the angle and make it awfully tough."

Senior Matt Tierney, who shares an apartment with Daniello and is a 6-4 close defender, laughed when asked if his buddy tries the move on him in practice.

"You know, he tries that on me all the time," Tierney said, "but I don’t think there’s been once where he actually beat me."

Yet, Tierney sees why the move is so effective.

"He’s built low to the ground," Tierney said. "He’s strong, so guys have a hard time getting their hands on him. And he’s got a great little underhand shot when he comes around the cage like that. It’s a good shot that comes low to high and rises real fast. It’s hard for goalies to see."